1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wire spoolers and more particularly, to a wire spooler/distributor that is used to distribute electrical wire from a suspended location at a construction site.
2. Description of the Related Art
Distributing electrical wiring at a construction site is frequently very frustrating because the wiring often becomes tangled as it is unspooled from where is stored to where it is used. Constantly having to stop work to untangle tangled wire is very disruptive and counterproductive to completing the job in a timely fashion. Furthermore, carrying a bulky coil of wire from one location to another at a construction site is both laborious and dangerous because a worker""s attention is momentarily distracted as he moves the coiled wire from one location to another. The alternative of using an apparatus that is fastened to the floor to prevent the coil of wire from sliding across the floor when the wire is pulled is ineffective because a suitable fastening point must be located, and because repeated fastening and unfastening of the apparatus is required to complete the job, which is inconvenient and time-consuming.
Having an efficient way to distribute electrical wiring during the installation of electrical wiring in a building under construction saves both time and money because wire is wasted when too much wire is inadvertently pulled off the spool of wire. Excess wire is cut and discarded because it is much simpler for the electrician or construction worker to dispose of the excess wire than to rewind it at the end of each installing operation, a process which is both difficult and time-consuming. Frequently, to overcome this inefficient distribution of electrical wire, multiple coils of wire are used in an attempt to eliminate the need to carry a coil of wire from one location to another on a construction site. However, this approach simply creates another problem because the wires from the different spools can become entangled. Many attempts have been made to alleviate these problem, however, they frequently involve expensive and heavy apparatuses that do not function in an efficient manner.
The prior art is replete with spooling mechanisms used to dispense a wide variety of wiring. For example, a reel wire dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,921, issued on Sep. 18, 1984 to N. J. Corbin. The portable wire dispenser has a rotatable reel attached to a base. The base surrounds the reel with a case to prevent the wire from uncoiling after it is pulled off the reel. A rigid pivot post is mounted to the base and extends upward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,372, issued on Jan. 2, 1979 to M. H. Worrell, describes a cable holder and dispenser. The holder and dispenser of cable wire, such as ROMEX cable, is designed to hang from rafters. The dispenser includes a cable reel holding frame, a swivel that allows the frame to rotate, a vertical telescoping strap support on which the swivel and the frame hang, and an inverted U-shaped portion that attaches to a rafter.
An automatic dispenser for elongated flexible coiled elements is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,597, issued on Apr. 16, 1991. The automatic dispenser is design to accommodate elongated flexible elements such as wire, string, rope, and flat steel. The automatic motorized dispenser employs a pair of guide members to control the rate of dispensing of the elongated flexible element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,625, issued on Nov. 16, 1993 to M. Lanoue, describes a device f or dispensing wire or cable. The device is a box within which is mounted a reel having a supply of wire or cable to be dispensed. An opening is provided in one of the walls of the box to allow the egress of one end of the strand. A cover securely contains the reel within the box. Mounted within the box is a brake device which has a portion slidingly contacted by the strand prior to egressing from the box.
A ROMEX wire dispenser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,241, issued on Sep. 20, 1994 to D. M. Huette. The ROMEX wire dispenser contains rotatable radius bars adapted to accept a complete 250 foot reel of coiled wire. The bars are rotatably mounted upon a spindle mounting assembly that is fixedly attached to an arm connecting a pair of spaced apart U-shaped members. The U-shaped members are each adapted to fit over opposite sides of a 2xc3x974 stud member to hold the spindle mounting assembly in a given position when hooked over a stud member.
A cable storage and feeding device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,647, issued on Sep. 3, 1996 to T. D. Browning. The portable cable feeding or dispensing device has a base adapted to be placed and to rest firmly on the floor or the ground or some other support. Stanchions are affixed to the base and extend in a generally normal direction. A spool having a hub, a pair of opposed first and second rims, and an axle allows rotational motion that results in the uncoiling and dispensing of a cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,670, issued on May 19, 1998 to M. R. Lasecki et al., describes a wire dispenser with a retractor. The coiled material dispenser has an automatic spring retractor that respools wire after a portion of the material has been removed. The dispenser is suspended at or near a work station where a portion of such material is required to be unspooled and removed for use. The spring rewinder automatically retracts at least a portion of the excess material back onto the spool.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a wire spooler/distributor solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a wire spooler to distribute wire that is portable, lightweight, and easily transported from one location to another location.
It is another object of the invention to provide a wire spooler to distribute wire that is collapsible and readily stored, requiring only a minimal amount of storage space.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wire spooler to distribute wire that has a cone shaped configuration when operational which allows for easy dispensing and distributing of wire.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a wire spooler to distribute wire that can be conveniently suspended from a rafter or joist so that the spooler can be located near where it is needed.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
The foregoing objectives are achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing a portable wire spooler that smoothly and efficiently distributes wire without tangling during the installation of electrical wiring at residential and commercial construction sites. The wire spooler of the present invention has a unique and innovative collapsible cone shaped configuration that allows the spooler to be both conveniently set up for use and collapsed for storage. The wire spooler of the present invention has a stationary upper frame and a movable lower frame that is capable of circular rotation relative to the upper frame.
The wire spooler employs a mechanism similar to that used in an umbrella to extend and retract the spokes around which a wire is wrapped. The cone shape configuration of the spooler endows the spooler with the proper rotational dynamics that allows for a smooth and even dispensing of the coiled wire.
The wire spooler of the present invention is lightweight and easy to transport from one location to another location, or from one job to another job. The wire spooler consists of a central rod, a sliding shaft disposed on the central rod, four spokes that are pivotally connected to the central rod and sliding shaft, and a hanger at the top of the central rod for hanging the spooler from the ceiling. The wire spooler is suspended from a ceiling rafter or joist.
The wire spooler of the present invention reduces installation costs by eliminating costs associated with wire oversupply. The wire spooler is mounted in one location and wire is pulled by the user to nearby and distance locations without having to move the spooler and without the spooler inadvertently moving across the floor. The wire spooler of the present invention significantly enhances the efficiency of installing electrical wiring during construction of a building.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.